There was a time when the labels and texts in museum shows were matter-of-fact explanations—the artist, title, date, medium, and then a few informative words from the curator. But as exhibitions have become more extravagant, provocative, and controversial, attended by … Read More

Once upon a time, storytelling was the most ambitious mission of painting. Panel by panel, Renaissance artists told the lives of Christ and the saints on the walls of churches. Michelangelo presented the sweeping drama of the Old and New … Read More

A century before Warhol, Whistler treated his own persona as a work of art. In the Peacock Room, he created an installation that expressed his bitterness about the ties between art and money. Read More